The present invention is directed to electrical connectors and more particularly to a strain relief assembly for connectors having terminals terminated to wires of a cable.
It is well known in the art to use a strain relief for electrical connectors terminated to wires or a cable to minimize stress on the cable and terminated wires. Such connectors are generally referred to as xe2x80x9ccable connectorsxe2x80x9d. Typically the strain relief apparatus includes two separate members that are securable around the housing and wires. The separate members may be secured together by a variety of methods, such as, external hardware or interlocking features on the two members. Attaching the strain relief to the connector requires that the connector and wires be positioned in one of the members and then securing the second member to the first member without disturbing the position of the connector and wires. U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,369 discloses a two member strain relief assembly having a sliding clip wherein the two members latch together and the clip is used to secure the cable or wires exiting from the assembly. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,606,596 and 4,900,277 disclose strain relief apparatuses that include two major members, each securable to special features provided on the connector housings, the members subsequently being securable to one another. In order to use these strain relief apparatuses it is necessary to modify the connector housings to provide the features needed to secure the two members to the housings.
The present invention is directed to a strain relief assembly that alleviates problems associated with the prior art. The strain relief assembly for an electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of terminals terminated to respective wires of at least one cable extending from the connector. The strain relief assembly includes a connector receiving frame having a forward face and a rearward face perpendicular to an insertion axis, the frame being dimensioned to receive an electrical connector along an insertion axis ; a pair of members hingedly secured to and extending from the frame wherein in a first, open position the members extend divergently to each other and to the axis of insertion and in a second, closed position the members extend in the same direction and are substantially parallel to the insertion axis, the members being securable together to define a wire receiving cavity; and at least one cable securing arm extending outwardly from each of the hinged members to a leading end, each leading end being dimensioned to surround at least a portion of the cable. Upon securing the hinged members together the electrical connector is held securely in the frame while permitting the position of the wires to be adjusted within the wire receiving cavity prior to securing the arms to the cable thus facilitating attachment of the strain relief assembly to the connector and cable.
The strain relief apparatus of the present invention is molded in a single piece with the frame being configured to receive the desired electrical connector. There is no need to provide any special features on the housing of the cable connector. The frame includes features that prevent forward movement of the connector and the hinged members include features that prevent rearward movement of the connector when the hinged members are secured together. The connector can be secured in place prior to adjustment of the wires within the wire receiving cavity, prior to securing the cable receiving arms to the wires or cable, thereby facilitating assembly.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.